Legislative committees in Hawaii have approved separate bills that would legalize marijuana for adults and direct the state to further study psychedelic-assisted therapy, advancing both measures to the Senate floor ahead of an end-of-week deadline.
Lawmakers in a joint committee session on Thursday approved the cannabis legalization measure, SB 669, after adopting a number of fresh amendments. The changes won over at least two lawmakers, one Democrat and one Republican, who voted for the measure despite saying they were initially opposed.
“Originally I was going to vote no on this one, but I’m going to trust your leadership,” Sen. Brenton Awa (R) told Sen. Jarrett Keohokalole (D), one of the bill’s cosponsors and the chair of the Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee, which considered the bill alongside the Senate Ways and Means Committee at Thursday’s hearing.
“I’m for legalization,” Awa said. “I don’t like the restrictions, but I’ll be voting yes.”
Sen. Herbert “Tim” Richards III (D), the House assistant majority whip, said that while he still has reservations about the proposal, he was willing to move it to the Senate floor.
“I fully appreciate the work you’ve done on this, and I’m seeing a way forward,” he said
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